The present invention relates to a pull station for providing a signal, such as an alarm signal, upon manual activation and, more particularly, to such a pull station having a glass bar breaking mechanism with a camming surface for riding over the glass bar when the pull station is closed and for breaking the glass bar when the pull station is opened.
Pull stations are normally located throughout buildings so that, in the event of a fire or other emergency condition, the pull station can be operated to generate an alarm. Typically, the alarm will activate an audible signal within the building in which the pull station has been activated, and the pull station may also transmit a remote alarm to fire and/or police stations in order to summon assistance.
Typical pull stations comprise either a lever which can be pulled down to break a glass bar and to activate a switch for generating the local and/or remote alarm signals or a housing having a glass window which can be broken to permit access to a switch. In either case, the glass is designed to prevent accidental operation of the pull station and to permit only intentional activation. These pull stations are complex and are costly to construct and maintain. The pull station according to the present invention, because of its much simpler construction, addresses these difficulties.